This and That:
Shape-wise, the white, 3D-printed, ergonomically-shaped shells look a lot like those of my InEar StageDiver SD-2, but are ultimately smaller, so probably more comparable to the smaller SD-2S.
The cable is okay but doesn't appear like that of a $100+ in-ear.
Just like the cable, the included, handmade, leather storage pouch, at least in my opinion, doesn’t really match the quality and level the NS-2 Composer is supposed to convey. Sure, it conveys the message of craftsmanship and dedication to the customer, but it isn’t as soft or premium as the iBasso IT03’s leather pouch, and in my opinion, it should have been replaced with a proper plastic or metal tin with threaded lid.
The ear tips on the other hand are soft and of high quality.
To sum it up: premium and professional appearing in-ears, DIY-esque appearing accessories.
Sound:
My main source for listening was the iBasso DX200 (AMP1 module).
The already installed, largest grey silicone tips were the ones I used for listening and all comparisons.
Tonality:
When I saw the NS-2 Composer for the first time, along with its specs and especially description, I immediately knew that it would have strong sonic similarities with my SD-2 – and this prediction has come true: the NS-2 Composer sounds a lot like the popular SD-2 (and W20 and ATH-IM02), with some small differences that I will talk about later in a head-to-head comparison.
It has got a sweet, very natural, neutrality-oriented sound signature that heads into the slightly warmer and ultimately darker direction. It is not an exciting or clarity-driven tuning but one that heads into a more neutral to natural direction, with good smoothness/evenness and some inoffensive darkness up top.
The lows’ mild elevation (at the climax, there is ca. 4 dB more presence than an in-ear that is diffuse-field flat in the bass, such as the Etymotic ER4SR/S, and ca. 1 dB more presence in the lows compared to my UERM and the UERR) starts around 650 Hz and reaches its climax (that can be held upright down into the real sub-bass without any actual roll-off) around 150 Hz.
Voices are on the slightly warmer and darker side but timbre is still natural and realistic. The midrange in general is rather close in the mix, but ultimately a bit less intimate than my SD-2’s.
Voices sound realistic and are reproduced well, which is generally true for this in-ear’s sound.
The highs take an audible step back above 2 kHz and are on the darker side albeit not missing. People who are sensitive to an elevated treble response will most likely love the NS-2 Composer, which is also true for those who favour a very even and harmonious treble tuning, since NS Audio’s dual-BA in-ear has got just that – in this way, it even slightly outperforms the SD-2 that is already an in-ear with a super even, harmonious and smooth, natural treble, although it has to be said that the NS-2 Composer is ultimately also a smidgen darker overall.
Cymbals are a bit defused/tamed and definitely not edgy, however not lacking either. Nonetheless, one might perhaps wish for a tad more bite and cymbal presence at times, and I do.
Treble starts coming back again after 5 kHz but always remains on the darker side of neutral.
Extension past 10 kHz is really, really good, however since the highs are generally on the tamer side, you only get little of that subtle super treble sparkle and air.
Yep, naturalness, high tonal evenness and smoothness are areas where the NS-2 Composer really shines. Some people who are used to a brighter tuning might miss a bit of excitement and treble presence though.
Resolution:
The InEar StageDiver SD-2 always received good criticism (also from myself) for sounding nicely detailed, transparent and very natural for a dual-BA in-ear, and mostly the same is also true for the NS-2 Composer, although I would ultimately rate it as inferior to my SD-2.
Detail retrieval in general and note separation are clean and precise, with good speech intelligibility and midrange details, and it is mainly the NS-2 Composer’s very even, smooth, harmonious sound that makes it sound this lifelike and natural.
Since the highs are generally more on the darker, smoother side and generally lack peaks but are even instead, NS Audio’s in-ear won’t give you fake details or fake clarity, but as a result it might also sound a bit “boring” to those who would like a more vivid presentation with more energetic cymbals.
Just like In-Ear's SD-2, the NS-2 Composer has also got a back-vented BA woofer. There are cases where a back-vented woofer arrangement can sound just as tight and fast as closed BA woofers (my Fischer Amps FA-3E is an in-ear that fits to this description), and there are cases where the back-venting leads to a softer bass reproduction, which is also true for the NS-2 Composer and SD-2. Yep, the character of the lows (that are by the way detailed as well as well-textured and -layered, although a little less compared to the SD-2) could almost be described as dynamic driver-esque, since the in-ear has got a softer attack and longer decay than many other multi-BA in-ears and therefore appears a bit softer and slower than those, but it is especially this softer attack and slightly longer decay that gives the NS-2 Composer and SD-2 its very natural, dynamic sound.
Bass control is still good and the lows are still tighter and faster than many dynamic driver implementations, but ultimately, the in-ears sometimes don’t sound as focused in the bass with fast, complex and multi-layered electronic music or fast rock and metal as other multi-BA in-ears with non-vented woofers, which is the downside of having this more “natural”, dynamic driver-esque bass decay implemented into BA woofers.
Soundstage:
One of the SD-2’s core strengths is its three-dimensional, very authentic and realistic soundstage reproduction. And I am pleased to say that the NS-2 Composer also has it, although it is presented a little differently (more on that a little later in the head-to-head comparison further below).
NS Audio’s in-ear has got a three-dimensional soundstage that is on the larger side of average but still a bit below what I would call “open”. Balance between width and depth in great and the in-ear has got a pretty much circular stage with a lateral expansion that already slightly leaves the base between my ears.
Layering is done authentically and quite precisely, and imaging is quite precise as well, although there are more expensive in-ears that separate the single instruments more precisely than the NS-2 Composer or SD-2, however the NS Audio has got precise separation for its price class and, which is its core strength, images so well and three-dimensional that it sounds very natural and authentic with only few similarly priced multi-BA in-ears being in the same league when it comes to authentic imaging.
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In Comparison with other Dual-BA In-Ears:
InEar StageDiver SD-2:
Shell design, fit and comfort are quite similar with the NS-2 Composer having smaller shells that are probably similar to the smaller SD-2S. Both isolate equally well.
Both have vented BA woofers.
The SD-2 is more sensitive.
The SD-2 comes with the superior cable and storage box.
Tonality-wise, both are quite comparable, but ultimately one could say that the NS-2 Composer is the SD-2’s somewhat darker and even smoother sounding cousin.
Both have got similarly linear sub-bass extension, but the SD-2’s bass is a little more forward in comparison (ca. 1 dB) and it is also slightly warmer in the lower mids than the NS-2.
Mids are a bit more forward on the SD-2.
The NS-2 Composer is even a bit darker, but also additionally even smoother in the treble compared to the SD-2. Super treble extension is comparable but the NS Audio in-ear is also a bit darker here, showcasing somewhat less subtle sparkle and air.
Resolution is almost comparable, but there are ultimately still some smaller differences as an effect of the overall different (treble) tuning and supposedly different drivers.
Both have lows that are on the softer side for multi-BA standards and have a more “natural”, slightly slower decay. Bass control and bass resolution are similarly good though.
The SD-2 has got the slightly higher perceived midrange transparency.
In the treble, it is the SD-2 that appears “snappier” since it is a bit more “forward” than the NS-2 in the highs, giving it a bit more perceived clarity and resolution.
Ultimately separation is a little higher on the SD-2.
Both in-ears have got natural and three-dimensional soundstages with similar separation, imaging and spatial precision. Spatial depth is comparable but the SD-2 has got a bit more spatial width.
Shure SE425:
The NS-2 Composer has got the more linear bass extension – while the Shure is, on average, closer to the diffuse-field target (both start equally in the fundamental range/lower mids though), it also rolls smoothly off towards the sub-bass whereas the NS Audio in-ear extends linearly.
Mids are a bit more intimate on the Shure, but also more telephonic.
Super treble extension on the Shure is audibly inferior in comparison.
While the Shure has got the tighter bass with faster decay, the NS-2 Composer is overall generally a bit more detailed and resolving, with the ultimately sharper, somewhat more precise note separation.
The Shure has got the smaller, more compact soundstage – the NS-2 Composer’s is just audibly larger and therefore more authentic, realistic and three-dimensional in comparison. Imaging is also a bit more precise on the NS Audio.
Eternal Melody EM-2:
The EM-2 has got ca. 4 dB more bass quantity and a stronger midbass punch. Lower mids are a bit fuller/thicker on the NS-2 Composer. Sub-bass extension is a bit more linear on the NS Audio’s side.
Both in-ears are equally recessed in the lower and middle highs whereas the EM-2 has got more brightness in the upper highs, making cymbals sound “snappier”; this even makes the NS-2 Composer appear to sound a little dull in comparison at first while it is actually only smooth, very even and inoffensive. Still, the NS Audio is smoother and more linear in the highs.
Detail retrieval between the two in-ears doesn’t differ too much, however when fast and busy, more demanding tracks are being played, it is the NS-2 Composer that can ultimately not fully keep up with the EM-2’s bass control. This is mainly because the NS Audio has got a slightly too soft bass response for Balanced Armature standards which leads to a softer, more “natural”, but also more masking bass response especially with fast recordings. Everything is quite fine with medium-paced and slow-ish tracks though.
So with fast and/or demanding music, such as multi-layered electronic music or metal, it is the EM-2 that shows superiority while the two are otherwise closer in terms of detail retrieval.
Midrange details and speech intelligibility are slightly higher on the Eternal Audio in-ear’s side while treble separation and treble details are about comparable (the NS-2 Composer’s highs are in the background but their resolution is nonetheless good).
The NS Audio’s soundstage is deeper than the EM-2’s and generally doesn’t lack any width, however the EM-2’s stage is around twice as wide in comparison (but it’s one of the widest sounding in-ears anyway). Separation and placement of single instruments are somewhat sharper and cleaner on the Eternal Melody’s side.
Conclusion:
The NS Audio NS-2 Composer has got a sound signature that heads into a direction that could be described as darker side of neutral, including just a touch of warmth. It concentrates on evenness, smoothness and naturalness and the NS-2 Composer is generally a very natural and smooth sounding in-ear with good, natural detail retrieval and a three-dimensional, very authentic soundstage. Therefore, and all in all, it clearly reminds me of a slightly less warm, a bit darker version of my InEar StageDiver SD-2. In terms of resolution though, the NS-2 Composer is ultimately a step below the SD-2 and doesn't appear as premium when it comes to cable and storage case/pouch.